My Name

Chapter 12 Another Lazy Day

left-right, left-right.....my body is gently waving, I'm on a boat...My eyes gently open and I see Mary's arm on my shoulder, she was just tryna wake me up.

Mary: Oh you're finally awake, it's noon already. I was gonna let you rest, but then I remembered that you haven't eaten anything since yesterday noon. 

She places the back of her hand against my forehead.

Mary: Good, it doesn't seem like you got a fever. 

Mary opens  box that was on her lap, it is filled with food. She takes out a spoon from the box and starts feeding me.

Me: I can eat on my own, don't worry so much.

Mary: Just shut up and eat. It's not nice to talk while you eat!

Mary carefully feeds me lunch while I lay in bed. I look in the background and see that Ronald is working. He was talking to a patient, and there were several patients waiting patiently in the back.

 A little boy was going to each person that was waiting and noting something down into a book he had after talking to the patient.

Me:( Hmmm, he must be Ronald's son)

Mary: Soo, how are you feeling??

Me: .....

Mary: Hey! I asked how are you feeling??

Me: I thought it wasn't nice to talk while I eating

I shrug my shoulders

Mary shoots me down with a nasty glare

Me: ( How is she so terrifying while feeding me food)

Me: Ok, Ok. I'm all good now. I feel much better and I can probably join you guys. Speaking of which where is Dr Herbert?

Ronald: Not so fast.

Ronald interrupts us from his table. 

Ronald: I'd say a day more of rest, and you should be fine by tomorrow morning. 

Mary: Yeah, Listen to the doctor Peter!

Me: Hey, its not nice to eavesdrops on us you know?

Ronald: I can't help it, you guys are too loud. If you're so concerned about privacy, maybe you two should get a room.

Ronald and Mary let out a chuckle almost simultaneously.

I...I DID NOT blush, my face DID NOT turn red, I was feeling a bit under the weather, maybe I was just getting a fever, but I definitely DID NOT blush from embarrassment.

 Mary: Peter, I have to leave now to go help Dr. Herbert. I'll come back again in the evening with some food. You take care and rest up till then.

Mary takes her leave and Ronald gets back to work. I spend the day laying in bed, falling asleep at times and lazily staring at the ceiling while I'm up. 

Finally the sun sets and Ronald closes his office, his working hours must be over. Mary returns with dinner at night. Mary once again dismisses my protests to eat by myself and feeds me like a child.

Ronald comes closer to us after closing up his office

Ronald: So why did you guys even come to this town? 

Me:(Now that I think about it, I was also never informed of the reason we came here)

Mary: Oh, we came here to treat the local cattle. Apparently the cattle and some farm animals here have been falling ill in huge numbers, so we came here to try and help. 

Ronald: I overheard you mention Dr. Herbert. If I remember correctly isn't he a doctor from the Royal palace?

Mary: Yes, you got it right.

Ronald: That's surprising, I've never heard of a doctor from the palace coming to look into it cattle from a small town before. Must be something really serious huh?

Mary: I suppose so. 

Mary turns to me

Mary: Well Peter I have to go now. I'll come tomorrow to pick you up. Sleep well Peter. Goodnight

Mary  smiles at me and then gets up and leaves.

Ronald: She really cares about you  y'know. You're lucky to have someone like that.

Me: Yeah, she's really nice.

Just then we hear the door creak open.... Its the boy from earlier

Ronald: Jack? What are you still doing here? I thought you were done for today.

Jack: I was just watering some of your plants. You keep buying plants, but you never water them so they all dry away. I keep telling you to water them, but you only do it for a few days and then you forget. So I just went and watered them all.

Ronald: Ahh, the plants. Now I remember.

Jack: Why do you keep buying plants if you're just gonna let them die. 

Ronald laughs sheepishly

Jack: I don't care. I'm leaving.

Jack shuts the door as he leaves....I think he's angry.

Me: So his name is Jack. I'm guessing he's your son?

Ronald: Oh no no. Jack isn't my son. He just helps around the office.

Me: I saw him collect the patients information while they were waiting around. So he's like your assistant. Isn't he kinda young to work, I mean he looks like a 10 year old. 

Ronald: I would go as far to call him my assistant. I met Jack 3 years ago, he was 10 then, now he's 13. He didn't have a home or any parents, so I took him in and gave him food. He felt bad for being  a free loader-

Me: So he helps you around the office?

Ronald chuckles

Ronald: I've been here for over five years now, I know each of those patients and their problems by heart by now. I just let Jack do his thing so that he doesn't feel bad and to be fair he does also help around the house.....

Ronald pauses and looks at the shut door

 Ronald: I managed to find him an orphanage. So he goes back there at the end of the day.

Me: Hmmm...Have you ever considered adopting him?

Ronald looks at me once again. I could tell looking at his eyes that his mind was elsewhere racing through a heap of thoughts.

Ronald forces a chuckle and speaks heartily.

Ronald: Oh come on, I'm only 43 years old! I'm still way too young to be a Dad! What? are you just tryna say I'm old?!

Me: I never even said that!!!

Ronald: Well, it's getting late. You better get some rest. I'll catch you tomorrow.

Ronald's leaves the room and goes upstairs. Another day comes to an end.